Sally Teacher

Kent Fromund

Did you know that Kent Fromund is really Griffin Morrisey’s nephew? Kent is one of English City’s newer residents. Actually, he’s not as new as some people think. If you’ve been coming to Languagelab for a while you may have met him in the past when he used to be called “Johnathon Shelman”. The big question here is why did “Johnathon” change his name to Kent? Read on to find out…

Warning, this story is complicated! You may need to read it several times to completely understand it. While you are reading please remember that Kent Fromund is the man who used to be called “Johnathon Shelman”

It turns out that Kent was not the first person to change his name in the Fromund family. Griffin’s real surname is actually Fromund but when he became a musician he changed it to Morrisey because he thought it sounded more musical. One day, not so long ago, Griffin and ‘Johnathon’ were chatting in the pub when Griffin told “Johnathon” that his (Griffin’s) real surname was “Fromund”. “Johnathon” was very surprised to hear this surname as, it’s quite unusual and … it was also the surname of “Johnathon’s” long lost father.

“Johnathon” never met his  father. He was raised by his Chinese mother who had met “Johnathon’s” father  when he was a young man backpacking through China. When “Johnathon’s” mother fell pregnant her family were very upset and sent her away to live with a relative in the USA.

Nobody knows what happened to “Johnathon’s” father. He was broken hearted after “Jonathon’s” mother was sent away (he thought that she had run away from him) and he disappeared himself not long after she was sent away. He never knew about his little baby boy “Johnathon”.

When “Johnathon” heard Griffin mention the name “Fromund” he immediately started to ask more questions about Griffin’s family. He knew very little about his father, but the one thing he did know was that Fromund was his father’s surname. It didn’t take the pair long to put two and two together and realise that Griffin was “Johnathon’s” uncle. Griffin confirmed that at around the time “Johnathon” was born his brother had disappeared after writing a letter telling of the Chinese woman who had run away from him and broken his heart.

Once “Johnathon” realised that his father had not deserted him and his mother he decided to change his name to Kent Fromund to honour the father who he had never met. These days Kent can be found hanging around in English City working on Art exhibitions and telling stories to those who will listen to him.

Why don’t you drop in for a visit and ask him to tell you the story of how he changed his name? In the meantime, can you answer these questions?

1) What was Kent Fromund’s name when he was a child?

2) What was Griffin Morrisey’s name when he was a child?

3) What country was Kent Fromund born in?

4) Who is Kent’s uncle?